Data Studies

The Research & Thought Leadership division of the CTBUH performs objective research at all scales and distributes findings in the form of data studies that highlight critical issues facing tall buildings and future cities.

Latest Study

1 December 2024 | Tall Buildings in Numbers

Vertical Urbanism Index Case Study: Bangkok

Bangkok is the largest city in Thailand and, as of 2024, has doubled in population over the past 37 years. As the growing metropolitan region plans for better transit, higher density, and improved livability, CTBUH has begun to study the role that tall buildings play in achieving a higher standard of urban life in the area. These maps explore so...

All Studies

8 August 2017 | CTBUH Journal, 2017 Issue III

Vertical Transportation: Ascent & Acceleration

As part of a recent collaboration with the Guinness Book of World Records, CTBUH certified that Shanghai Tower has the fastest elevator and the longest elevator run of all commerci...

20 April 2017 | CTBUH Journal, 2017 Issue II

Tall Timber: A Global Audit

In the past few years, the tall building industry has become increasingly interested in the use of timber as a major structural element in skyscrapers. This has resulted in a now-w...

10 January 2017 | CTBUH Journal, 2017 Issue I

Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2016

CTBUH has determined that 128 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed around the world in 2016 – setting a new record for annual tall building completions and mar...

16 October 2016 | CTBUH Journal, 2016 Issue IV

Tall Buildings and Megacities

In this study, CTBUH undertook an examination of the populations, areas, densities, and several measures of skyscraper activity in the world’s 45 “megacities” – defined as urban ag...

1 August 2016 | CTBUH Journal, 2016 Issue III

Twisting Tall Buildings

CTBUH defines a “twisting” building as one that progressively rotates its floor plates or its façade as it gains height. Usually, but not always, each plate is shaped similarly in...

19 January 2016 | CTBUH Journal, 2016 Issue I

Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2015

CTBUH has determined that 106 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed around the world in 2015 – setting a new record for annual tall building completions.